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10:59AM BST 19 May 2014

Illness can strike at any moment, and not having anyone to talk to about your medical issues can make life more stressful at what is already likely to be an upsetting time.

One option is to consider private health insurance, as some companies provide their members with access to a wide range of medical professionals whenever you need them.

AXA PPP healthcare, for example, offers their Health at Hand service which is available day or night whenever their members need it. It enables members to seek support and guidance from a variety of medical staff from experienced nurses and pharmacists, to midwives and counsellors. The service will provide support and information on any sort of medical query, whether you have an issue with some of the medication you might be taking, questions about your condition and treatment options, coping with bereavement or just need a listening ear.

Nurses and counsellors are available 24/7, while members can access pharmacists and midwives between 8am and 8pm from Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm on Saturdays, and between 8am and 12pm on Sundays. There are also specialist heart and cancer nurses available, who can provide one-to-one support and clinical guidance over the phone on things such as what to expect from treatment and coping with the disease.

You can even contact the service if you want to discuss travel vaccinations or are out of the country and need help finding a hospital or English-speaking doctor.

Alternatively, members can have their queries answered online if they want to. The healthcare company’s website has lots of health-related information, ranging from general wellbeing to specific conditions. There are over 800 medical factsheets available online, so that members can find out more about conditions including abdominal pain, allergies, migraine and norovirus. Members can also take part in regular live online chats with experts including doctors and dieticians.

As well as giving you peace of mind that you can speak to a medical professional straightaway, private medical insurance has many other benefits.

Current NHS waiting lists mean that many people can face a long wait before they get access to a specialist, but if you have medical cover with AXA PPP healthcare, you can get seen faster. The company can also assist with finding the right specialist for you and then help arrange the appointment.

AXA PPP healthcare offer a choice of up to three specialists once you’ve been referred by your GP, and can help sort out your appointment for you. They also offer a Second Opinion Service, which will pay for all eligible costs involved with a second opinion if you’re not sure about a diagnosis or treatment plan. This is available on appointments that would be covered by your chosen plan, and you don’t need to pay any excess or deduct the second opinion costs from your out-patient entitlement.

AXA PPP healthcare can provide a wide-range of options for you and your family.

For more information about the benefits of private healthcare and what is and isn’t covered, call 0800 5870953 for a free quote.

Lines are open 9am to 8pm weekdays. Calls may be recorded and/or monitored for quality assurance, training and as a record of conversation.